Consecutive stations communication system



Sept. 9, 1947.

C. O. TUCKER ETAL CONSECUTIVE STATIONS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM I Filed Feb. 28, 1945 lfi lP v Battery 37 26 25 t E 3 3% Loucl G) 24 Speaker 36 an 4 s 6 Amplifier p R Coll Station INVENTORS (hams flux 2 700K512 BY OTTO/Y 6'0715'011 mit the patient to converse with the attendant at the call station and vice versa.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood.

When the electric motor causes the sweep hands l8 and 22 to contact with the terminals 2 and 2a on the dials C and D, an electric circuit will be closed to illuminate the light 25, numbered 2, and a second circuit will be closed from the microphone 2b of the bed 2 to the loud-speaker F.

In the first circuit, a current will flow from the battery G through wire 31 to the sweep hand 22. The current will then pass through the contacts 23 and 2a and flow along the wire 35. The wire 30 has a wire 26 connected thereto that leads to the light 25 on the call station board E, this light being numbered 2. The current then flows from the light 25 through wires 24 and 33 to ground 34. The battery G is connected by wire 21 to ground 32 and this completes the electrical circuit. The operator at the call station E will know that when the light 25 (numbered 2) is illuminated, the microphone 2b for the bed or station 2 will be in electrical communication with the loud speaker F.

Should the patient in bed 2 desire to be made aware when his microphone 2b is in communication with the loud speaker F, he can close a switch 29 placed near his bed, and this switch is connected to the wire 30 and to a signal light 28 positioned near the bed. When a current flows through the wire 30 and on through the wire 26, the closing of the switch 29 will place the light 28 in parallel with the light 25 because the light 28 is connected to ground 28'. When therefore the switch 29 is closed, both lights 25 and 28 will be illuminated when the sweep arm 22 brings contact 23 into electrical contact with the terminal 2a.

In connection with the microphone circuit, it will be noted that the loud speaker F is connected to ground 35 by wire 36. The loud speaker and amplifier has the necessary source of electrical current and the usual radio equipment to cause the loud speaker to operate in the customary manner. A wire 3'! leads from the loud speaker F to the sweep arm [8 and since the terminal-l9 of the arm is electrically connected to the terminal 2 on the dial C, current will flow through the wire 38 to the bed microphone 21). A wire 39 leads from the bed microphone to ground 40 thus completing the circuit. It is possible for the patient to talk to the attendant at the call station so long as the terminal l9 contacts with the terminal 2 and if desired the microphone 21) can be a two-way radio speaking device with the loud speaker F also being a two-way speaking device.

The patient can turn off the switch 29 at his bed at any time desired and this will cut out the current flowing to the light 28, yet the light 25 on the call station board E will be illuminated each time'the bed microphone 2b is electrically connected to the loud speaker F. Should the patient be too sick to talk, any sounds emitted by him will be picked up by the microphone and transmitted to the loud speaker. This will warn the attendant at the call station if the patient is in a critical condition.

The gear reduction box B can have its mechanism controlled by the knob 12 so that the shaft H wil1 rotate at the desired speed and thus change the time interval at which the microphone 2b will be electrically connected with the loud speaker F. All of the other beds or stations will have their microphones electrically connected with the loud speaker F in their proper turn. The drawing illustrates the wiring necessary to accomplish this but no further description of the other circuits need be given since they will function in the same manner as the circuits described in connection with bed or station number 2.

The motor is designed to operate continuously and the lights 25, numbered l to 6 inclusive on the call board E, will be successively illuminated. Each time a light on the board is illuminated the attendant knows that the particular bed or station corresponding with the number on the light has its microphone in electrical connection with the loud speaker F. It is discretionary upon the part of the patient whether or not he wishes his signal light 28 to indicate periodically when his microphone is placed in electrical connection with the loud speaker F. As already stated, the device can be used for other purposes than keeping in contact with patients in a hospital.

We claim:

1. A device of the type described comprising a plurality of stations, a microphone for each station, a central station having a loud-speaker, means for successively and continuously bringing all of the stations into electrical connection with the loud-speaker so that two-way communication can be established between each station and the central station so long as said means electrically connects the station with the loudspeaker, and means including lights and controlled by said first-named means for indicating at the central station the particular one of the first-mentioned stations that has its microphone in electrical connection with the loud-speaker.

2. A device of the type described comprising a plurality of stations, a microphone for each station, a central station having a loud-speaker, means for successively and continuously bringing all of the stations into electrical connection with the loud-speaker so that two-way communication can be established between each station and the central station so long as said means electrically connects the station with the loudspeaker, and means including lights and controlled by said first-named means for indicating at the central station the particular one of the first-mentioned stations that has its microphone in electrical connection with the loud-speaker, said last-named means including additional lights associated with the stations and adapted to be lighted in synchrony with the proper one of said first-named lights, whereby a person at the station will know when the station microphone is connected to the loud-speaker.

3. In combination, an electric motor, a dial having a number of contacts thereon, a switch arm movable over the contacts, means operatively connecting the arm to the motor for causing the latter to swing the former at the desired speed, a plurality of stations equal in number to the number of contacts, a microphone for each station and electrically connected to the proper contact, a central station having a loud-speaker successively and electrically connected to the microphonesin the various stations by the arm moving over; the contacts, lights at the central station corresponding in number to the number of stations, each light designating a particular station, and means actuated by said first-named means for connecting the lights with a source of current, said last-named means causing the proper light to be illuminated that designates the particular station microphone is electrically connected to the loud-speaker.

4. In combination, an electric motor, a dial having a number of contacts thereon, a switch arm movable over the contacts, means operatively connecting the arm to the motor for causing the latter to swing the former at the desired speed, a plurality of stations equal in number to the number of contacts, a microphone for each station and electrically connected to the proper contact, a central station having a loudspeaker successively and electrically connected to the microphones in the various stations by the arm moving over the contacts, lights at the central station corresponding in number to the number of stations, each light designating a particular station, and means actuated by said first-named means for connecting the lights with a source of current, said lastnamed means causing the proper light to be i1- luminated that designates the particular station microphone is electrically connected to the loudspeaker, station lights, and means for connecting the station lights into the circuits that cause said first-named lights to illuminate, whereby the station lights will designate when the station microphone is electrically connected to the loud-speaker.

CHARLES OLIVER TUCKER.

O'I'TO H. GO'ISCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

